


Patience

by exxit



Category: Spider-Man: Homecoming (2017)
Genre: Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Reader-Insert, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-13
Updated: 2018-01-13
Packaged: 2019-03-04 05:38:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,627
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13357644
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/exxit/pseuds/exxit
Summary: Ever since Peter took the internship at Stark Industries your relationship has been strained to say the least. After one too many missed dates you can't take it anymore.





	1. Chapter 1

Peter was never one to be known for being punctual. You knew that going into the relationship, but an hour and a half was beyond late, especially for a movie date. You’d decided not to enter the theater, you were hoping that if Peter was five minutes late then the two of you could just switch movies and watch something else. 

Peter never showed up. 

You let out a heavy sigh and tried not to focus too much on the fact that this marked three consecutive dates where he’d stood you up. 

“Hey, I’m so, so, so sorry.” Peter apologized as he ran up to you. 

“Peter.” You said irritably, switching movies had been an option if he were five, ten, even fifteen minutes late, not an hour plus. 

“Please it’s not all my fault, Aunt May needed me to run to the grocery store for her and then traffic was really bad, I’m so sorry (y/n),” Pete said intertwining your fingers. 

“Alright, it’s too late for a movie if we wanna make it back without ruining my curfew, so pick something else.” You told him. 

“Thank you, thank you so much. How about ice cream?” Peter offered as he placed a kiss on the back of your hand before placing another one on your lips.

“Lead the way.“ You said smiling at him. Five minutes later the two of you were sitting in a small ice cream shop talking about Tony Stark.

"So whatever happened with that scholarship thing, a few months ago May was going on and on about it and how Tony Stark personally came and told you about it and now nothing. What’s up with that?” You asked. 

“Nothing, I got the scholarship, nothing happens until I graduate,” Peter shrugged. 

“Well, what was it for? It must’ve been pretty big if Tony Stark himself came to talk to you.” You said trying to pry more information out of him. 

“Science, what else? I guess he was just really–” Peter got a strange look on his face and then abruptly stood up. “I’ll be right back, I think I’m gonna be sick,” Peter said before running to the back. 

The last thing you saw was his back as he disappeared behind the service door. 

You sighed, this night was going great sure the ice cream thing wasn’t his fault but still, it was like lately you two just couldn’t catch a break. You waited about fifteen minutes before going getting up to go check on him. 

“Where do you think you’re going?” The manager asked coming out of the door you were about to enter. 

“Um, I was gonna go check on my boyfriend he ran back there to use your restroom.” You said. 

“No,” he said shaking his head. “I’m the only one back here.” He informed you. 

“Well maybe you were busy and didn’t see him, but he ran back here.” You persisted. 

“Listen, kid, I know what I’m saying there’s no one here, I don’t know what else to tell you.” He said refusing to let you go to the back. 

“Fine.” You huffed and sat back down at your table. You waited there until closing, the manager gave you a look of pity assuming you’d been run out on, and you couldn’t say he was completely wrong. 

It was a short subway ride to your apartment building, it was the same building Peter lived in and as you entered the elevator you debated whether or not you’d stop by his floor to check on him. 

You voted against him, you knew you wouldn’t be able to look at him right now without crying. 

You’d been friends with Peter ever since he moved into the building. It took awhile for your friendship to blossom but after that the two of you were inseparable. 

You lived in on the floor above him, your room was actually right over his when the two of you were younger you used to sneak out onto the fire escape and just talk all night. You could tell him anything without feeling ashamed or worrying that you were being a burden on him, but lately he’d been pulling away and it hurt. 

You slipped your key into the lock and put on a smile before you opened the door. 

“Hey honey, did you like the movie?” Your mom asked as she noticed you enter. 

“Actually, Peter and I decided to go for some ice cream.” You half-lied, you knew if you were honest you’d have to talk about everything that had been going on between the two of you and you just weren’t capable of handling that right now.

“Aww well, that’s nice. Mrs. Valdez’s daughter called–you know the one who lives uptown–anyways she said she needs a babysitter for Friday and she asked if you were up to it.” She told you. 

“Yeah, sure call her back and tell her I can do it.” You said. “I’m really sleepy I think the sugar’s leaving my system, night mom.”

“Night sweetie.” She called back before you closed the door. 

You changed in your pj’s trying not to cry until after you were in bed. You switched on the tv, hoping to get your mind off of Peter. 

“Well it seem’s like Spider-man had another busy day, a man going by Doctor Octopus has emerged to challenge the hero–”

“Spider-man’s here, Spider-man’s here!” Your little brother cried out bursting into your room and running to your window and pressing his face up to the glass. 

“Woah kid, slow down, what do you mean Spider-Man’s here?” You asked smiling at his excitement. 

“I saw him swing past my window, he was going this way. Did you see him?” He asked eagerly. 

“Nope, sorry hun.” You said as you opened the window knowing that was exactly what he wanted. 

Your brother ran out onto the fire escape and looked around trying to spot his favorite superhero.

“He’s gone.” He mumbled sadly as he made his way back to your room. 

“Hey, buddy,” Peter said coming into your room through the open window.

“Peter! Did you see Spider-Man?” Your brother asked him. 

“No, sorry dude.” He said shaking his head. 

“It’s okay, I’m gonna go to bed now. Night (y/n), night Peter.” He said shuffling out of your room. 

“Hey, I’m so sorry about earlier-”

“You seem to be saying that a lot Peter.” You said cutting him off. 

“I know, I’m sorry I just–”

“There you go again, Peter I don’t want your apologies, I want answers. What’s been going on with you? You’ve been pushing me away, skipping dates, and the dates you are there for you always show up way beyond late. Oh and let’s not forget about tonight, not only were you more than an hour late to our movie you ditched me ten minutes into ice cream. I waited and waited, but you never came back. Do I bore you that much?” You asked trying to fight back angry tears. 

“(y/n) you don’t bore me, I’m just trying to figure some things out,” Peter said grabbing your hand, you recoiled from his touch. 

“Then figure them out on your own time and stop wasting mine.” You said harshly. 

“What, what are you saying?” Peter asked. 

“I’m saying I wanna break up Peter.” You told him. 

“But you’re my best friend.” He told you reaching out to you. 

“Maybe we should end that too.” You said biting the inside of your cheek to keep your tears at bay. 

“(y/n)-”

“Please leave Peter.” You said. 

“(y/n)-”

“I said leave.” You all but shouted. He turned and climbed down the fire escape, you quickly closed the window and locked it not to keep him from coming back in but to keep you from opening the window and going back to him. It was more symbolic than anything but it worked, you didn’t go out to him.


	2. Chapter 2

It had been a week since you’d broken up with Peter. You’d go out of your way to make sure that you two didn’t run into each other when it wasn’t necessary. This meant taking extra long routes to classes that you didn’t have him in and rushing it to classes you did have him in so you could get the seat furthest away from him. It also involved hiding away in the library during your lunch period and sneaking in bites of your homemade lunch when the librarians weren’t looking. 

Before the break up you, Peter and Ned had been a close-knit group, but apparently, your break up with Peter also included cutting all ties off with Ned. You took to hanging around with Liz and Flash, a pair you hadn’t hung around with since elementary school, but you needed some form of friendship and your little brother just wouldn’t cut it. 

You were currently sitting in science class–the one class you couldn’t avoid Peter in seeing as he was your assigned lab partner. You felt Peter slip a piece of paper inside your hoodie pocket and let out a quiet sigh, this was the fifth time this week he’d done that. You got the piece of paper and crumpled it up and slipped it into his backpack. 

Thankfully the bell rang before he could try again. 

You Liz and Flash made your way to the lockers and as you pulled yours open ten notes spilled out onto the floor. “Listen if he doesn’t stop bothering you I could talk to him for you, teach him a lesson or two.” Flash offered. 

“You will do no such thing, Pete and I are going through a tough moment right now, but he’ll get the hint eventually.” You said. 

“So (y/n) you have any plans for tonight?” Liz asked trying to change the subject.

“Yeah, but not good ones, I’m babysitting. However, the kids’ mom is really nice; she lets me eat anything I want from their fridge and the kid has an early bedtime and they’ve got great wifi.” You said. 

“Yeah, but you’re not gonna use it for anything good, you’re gonna catch up on homework and read ” Flash teased. 

“Yeah so? I have the option if I want it.” You said sticking your tongue out at him. To say you were good at pretending things were fine would be an understatement. 

“Alright, enough you two, anyways we’ve gotta go if we’re gonna catch the bus. Call me if your plans change. Later (y/n)!” Liz called as she and Flash headed for the doors, Flash waved before they disappeared out the front doors. 

“What about the rest of your weekend?” Peter’s voice rang out on your left. 

“I’m busy.” You said keeping your answers brief, this was in order to minimize the pain it caused you as opposed to just being rude. 

“Do you think you could make some time on that schedule for me?” Peter asked using a line he normally used when you were studying for an exam and didn’t want to be bothered. 

His response brought back feelings which you didn’t want to focus on right now so instead of answering you did the only thing you could, you pushed past him or rather tried to. Apparently somewhere along the line, Peter started working out because he was no longer the weak kid you used to easily be able to pin down. Peter caught you by the arm, his grip was firm, but not painful, it felt more like he was desperate to hold on to you. 

“(y/n) please, there were some things I needed to work out but I did it, everything makes sense now. I wasn’t ready to tell you what was wrong before, but I am now, I’m ready to tell you everything, just listen to me, please.” He begged. 

“I have to go Peter.” You said pulling yourself out of his grip and bolting out the doors as quickly as you could–desperately trying to put space between you and Peter. 

When you got home your mom was talking to someone on the phone, she sounded angry and you decided it’d just be best to avoid her until she was done. 

You quickly ran to your room and gathered up the few things you were going to need for the night, Ms. Valdez was a single mother and she had a habit of taking advantage of girls night when you were the one babysitting, and you had a feeling tonight was gonna be a late night. 

You walked out with your backpack which now contained your laptop, toiletries, and a few school assignments.

“Hey, I’m sorry to do this to you, but they called me back into the office and I need you to take your brother. I already called Ms. Valdez she said it was okay with her if it was okay with you and I really need to–”

“Mom, it’s no big deal. I’ll take him. You go do what you need to and don’t worry about it.” You reassured her. 

“Thank you so much. He already has all his things ready. I’ll see you when I get home.” She said placing a kiss on your forehead and disappearing into her room to get ready. 

“You ready?” Your brother asked standing patiently by the door with his Spiderman backpack strapped firmly onto his back. 

“Don’t rush me.” You said with a small chuckle. 

“Well chop, chop, employers don’t like late employees.” He mock scolded. 

“Alright smart butt, let’s go.” You said ushering him out the door.

It took a while to put Jaime–Ms. Valdez’ son–to bed, he was a bit upset since your brother’s bedtime was an hour later but you were eventually able to placate him and get him to sleep. 

“Can you turn on the news (y/n)?” Your brother asked looking up at you with pleading eyes. 

“You wanna see what Spiderman’s up to?” You asked him, he nodded and you couldn’t help but laugh as you turned the tv to the correct channel before turning back to your book. 

“–and it seems like the duo are headed toward midtown Manhattan…” Your eyes snapped up to the screen and then out the window where you could faintly see two figures battling their way closer to the building. 

“He’s coming this way (y/n), he’s coming this way!” You brother chanted excitedly as he ran towards the window. 

“Now’s not a good time to do that okay bud?” You asked trying to remain calm, sure Spiderman was a hero but Doc Ock was not, you didn’t want your brother or Jaime to be caught in the crossfire. 

“Come on, I promise you’ll meet him later but right now I wanna get you and Jaime out of here.” You said pulling your brother away from the window and towards Jaime’s room to wake up the sleeping child. 

“You promise I’ll meet him?” You brother asked clearly upset at being pulled away from his hero. 

“I promise, I’ll personally introduce you.” You lied. You woke up Jaime in a rush wanting to get out of the building as soon as possible you really didn’t have a good feeling about this.

You led the two boys out of the bedroom and through the living room, your brother wiggled out of your grip and ran to the window. “Get to the door, Jaime.” You ordered before going towards your brother.

“Look (y/n) it’s Spidey!” Your brother shouted pressing his face up against the glass. Sure enough, clinging on to the other side of the window looking right at you was Spider-Man. You pushed your brother behind you and you were going to run out the door but Doc Ock used Spiderman’s distracted moment to chuck a car at him. 

“Look out!” You shouted pointing behind him. You shoved your brother back and tried to get out of the way. You heard the impact, glass shattered but the impact never came.

You turned back towards the window–or where the window used to be–and came face to mask with the arachnid. You snuck a peek behind him and noticed a giant web holding back the car that would’ve crushed you. 

“You okay?” He asked. Your eyes went wide, you knew that voice. You’d just broken up with that voice. 

“(y/n) are you okay?” He asked sounding extremely concerned.

“Ye-yeah.” You nodded still in shock. 

“Good, get them out of here and evacuate the building,” Peter ordered, you nodded and grabbed hold of your brother and Jaime before bolting out the apartment and pulling the fire alarm before you ran down the stairs with both boys in tow.

You boarded the subway calling Ms. Valdez before you did. You explained to her what had happened and she agreed that it’d be best to get the boys out of the area. You gave her your address and told her you’d keep Jaime safe there until she came to pick him up. 

Afterward, you called your mom and reassured her that you and your brother were safely at home and that she didn’t have to worry. 

After Ms.Valdez picked up her son you were able to calm your brother down enough to get him to go to sleep. 

“(y/n) we met Spider-man. No one at school is gonna believe me.” He said with a yawn.

“Well, that’s okay. You met him and that’s all that matters, right?” You asked with a smile. 

“Right.” He said as he closed his eyes and drifted off, dreaming of his hero, no doubt.

You shut his door and right before you did you saw a flash of red and blue swing across his window. You made your way over to your room and rushed out onto the fire escape. 

“Peter?” You said tapping on his window. You heard shuffling and then several thumps and a crash before the window opened. 

“(y/n)” Peter greeted wearing a hoodie and a pair of jeans that weren’t completely put on correctly. 

“Is May home?” You asked not wanting to have this conversation in his house if she was there. 

“She’s sleeping.” He answered. You nodded and motioned for him to follow you up.

“(y/n) what’s wrong?” He asked. 

Your stomach was in knots and you weren’t sure what you were going to say to him yet, you couldn’t exactly blurt out ‘You’re spiderman’ now could you?

“You’re Spider-man.” Well, apparently you could.

“What no? That’s insane, that’s, that’s-”

You reached over and unzipped his hoodie exposing the suit. “Damn it Pete quit lying, that’s what got us into this mess in the first place. Besides, did you really think I wouldn’t recognize your voice? I’ve known you practically our whole lives.” You said irritably as you resisted the urge to slap him upside the head. “Why didn’t you tell me?” You asked trying to keep the hurt out of your voice.

“I didn’t want you to get hurt.” He said looking down at his feet. 

“How is me knowing you’re Spiderman gonna get me hurt?” You asked with raised eyebrows.

“Well-it’s just-I thought–”

“God Peter, you’re supposed to be the genius in the relationship.” You said chuckling a bit at his stuttering. 

“Are you mad?” He asked. 

That was a good question were you mad? Not really it was more hurt than anything but you couldn’t really blame him…both of you were still teenagers neither of you really had any answers. 

“No. At least now I know why you kept ditching me on dates.” You said glad to finally have some answers.   
“Were you ever going to tell me?” You asked curiosity getting the better of you.

“I tried to today at school but you ran.” He said “When I realized I was going to lose you forever if I didn’t give you any answers I wanted to confess everything right then and there. You’re worth way more to me than my identity. I love you” He confessed. 

You gave a soft smile. “God I love you too.” You whispered before grabbing him by the front of the suit and pulling his lips to yours. 

“Does this mean you forgive me?” He asked when the two of you pulled apart.

“Sure, but since I’m now that I know I’m dating an Avenger does that mean you can take me to see Avengers HQ?” You asked leading him to your bed getting tired of standing up.

“I’m technically not an Avenger,” Peter explained as he laid back on your mattress pulling you down with him. "I actually turned down their offer." He told you as you rested your head on his chest. 

“Wow, look at you Mr. Big-Shot, turning down the Avengers. Alright, well, can Tony build me a suit, heaven knows you need me out there to take care of you.” You said smiling up at him.

"Hey, I've been doing just fine out there on my own," Peter said defensively. 

"Yeah but I've been taking care of you since you moved in upstairs, kinda feels weird watching you go into battle without me." You told him placing a quick peck on his chest.

“I’ll talk to Mr. Stark about it, but no guarantees.” He said with a playful smile on his lips.

The two of you stayed quiet for a moment before he spoke up again. "Does this mean I can tell May we're back together? She gave me an earful about letting you go."

You couldn't help but chuckle. "Yeah, you can tell May we're together again." You said placing a kiss on his neck, smiling at the little shiver that went through him.


End file.
